Relationships and Generations

Do relationships exist in college? I think there are definitely a few answers to the question. I’m sure we can find a few people who are happily committed, a true love story, and hey, more power to them. I’m also sure there are others who would do anything to be in relationship. If I were to ask that question in a classroom they’d be the kids to immediately shout out “YES.” And then here are my favorite kinds of people, the ones that believe this “relationship” thing is for the birds, and by that I mean for college graduates and or old people.

I know what you’re thinking, who dumped this girl? But really are we as college students capable of holding serious and meaningful relationships? Better yet, are we as “generation x” capable of holding serious and meaningful relationships?

Think about it this way, one morning I wake up and tell my roommates I “hooked up” with some dude at the bar. The next morning my dad calls me and tells me that he “hooked up” with his friends last night and they had a really good time. (yes my dad frequently uses the phrase hook up and clearly has no idea what it means.) But there’s my point, do we even know what it means? Did I give him my number, make out with him, or have sex with him? I clearly then have to further explain but if I wasn’t with my friends I may just say I hooked up with someone and leave it up to that person to figure it out. Then somehow by the end of the week I “hooked up” with five people’s boyfriends and had a threesome with their roommates.

Here lies our problem; we lack the ability to communicate. And no I’m not saying we are incompetent and can’t have a face to face conversation like so many theorists would like to say about us. What I’m saying is that we don’t even understand what we’re saying half the time, how are we expected to understand what other people are saying to us. And we’re too afraid to explain ourselves, in fear the other person doesn’t feel or think the same. So are we in fact even capable of having these real “grown-up” relationships if we can barely understand ourselves?

I’m not saying it’s impossible, I know plenty of people that are in long-lasting and very happily committed relationships and that does give me hope, but I also know a lot more people that don’t have this all figured out.

The truth is, everyday something in our lives changes. The meanings to words, the feelings we have, my mind changes about things almost every hour, and I don’t think that is a bad thing. Isn’t that what we are supposed to be doing? Just trying to figure it all out.

So back to my question, do relationships exist in college? I guess we can leave that up to your discretion. We are a part of a generation that is at a point in our lives where we barely know which way is up and which way we want to go. But we also are a part of a generation that has the capability to be very successful, more successful than other generations are expecting of us. In relationships, professionally, or any aspect you can imagine.

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Published by Rosie Culture

I graduated from Rowan University in 2015! I majored in Advertising, minored in Journalism, and concentrated in New Media. I am a social media enthusiast and am especially passionate about Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. When I'm not scrolling through pictures of pugs, pinning vegetarian recipes, or trying to be funny in 140 characters or less; I'm the Communications Specialist at a non profit! Did you guys know you can't make a career out of complaining about your life and tagging people in pictures of sloths?
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2 thoughts on “Relationships and Generations”

I know I never had one in college, I had many flings, dates, kisses, cuddles and crushes, but never a relationship. Most people are so confused and don’t know what they want at that time in their lives and mixing it all together becomes a dramatic mess, but believe that in all that mess some people really do find true relationships.